Church of St Nicholas

Details

SO 71 SE HARDWICKE POUND LANE (north side) 4/81 Church of St. Nicholas

10.1.55

GV I

Parish church. C13; C15 south aisle; C19 north aisle; restored in 1840, possibly by D.J. Niblett of Hares field; further 1878 restoration by Waller and Son. Limestone ashlar; stone slate roof. Nave with north and south aisles; south west tower; south porch; chancel with north and south chapels. Moulded C13 pointed arched south doorway with attached jamb columns having stiff-leaf capitals; stiff-leaf terminals to hood; studded plank door with cover strips. Parapet gabled porch with trefoil-headed side lancets, internal stone seats and wagon roof. South aisle is restored C19 with east offset buttress and 2-light lancet. South chapel has indications of alterations to fenestration: C19 restored moulded Tudor-arched priest's doorway with hood and plank door; to right 3-light square-headed late C14 window with ogee-headed lights. C19 north aisle has pointed-arched doorway and three 2- light lancets in buttressed wall; similar fenestration to rebuilt north chapel. West end: parapet gabled with early Perpendicular transomed nave window between offset buttresses; C19 3-light west window to north aisle. East end: parapet gables to south chapel and chancel are flush, but of 2 builds; east chancel window is C14 2-light with geometrical tracery, moved from Haresfield Church (Haresfield CP, q.v.) in 1840 restoration; 3-light Decorated with quatrefoil tracery to south chapel; small C13 2-light to north side of chancel and C19 2-light to parapet gabled east end of north chapel. Early C14 tower of 3 stages with offset angle buttresses to lower stage and trefoil-headed lancets in 2 faces; chamfered rectangular openings in 2 faces of middle stage; tall narrow trefoil-headed belfry openings; C14 moulded crenellated parapet with moulded string course below having remains of 2 animal gargoyles in 2 faces. Limewashed interior. South arcade of 3 bays restored in 1840 has octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases; 4-bay north arcade of 1878 to match; C13 pointed chancel arch with hood mould; 2-light squint with trefoiled lancets in square opening to right; panelled timber barrel nave roof. Chancel has 2-bay arcade to north chapel as those to aisles; 3 openings to south chapel, from east: small single lancet, large round arch with small keystone and imposts, and arch of memorial to John Trye (see below); 5-bay C19 arched-braced collar and king post truss chancel roof with brattished wall plate. Restored C19 pointed arch divides each aisle from chapel; both aisles with Cl9 wagon roofs; pointed early C14 tower arch. Flat panelled timber ceiling to south chapel with cambered side panels. Two C13 lancet piscinae in south chancel wall; Cl9 box pews; C13 circular stone font in nave with clustered shafts to pedestal. In south chapel 5 chest tombs to Trye family: 3 at east end are carved with coats of arms and variety of attached columns and pilasters; 2 have marble tops inscribed to Anne Trye, died 1678 and William Trye, died 1681; another with moulded limestone top inscribed to John Trye the Elder, died 1597. Two chest tombs against south chapel wall: 1 with fluted Ionic pilasters and 2 side inscription panels to Captayne Henry Trye (sic), died 1629 and WILLIAM TRYE, died 1609; another is low, lyre-ended with marble inscribed top, now illegible. Large, arched, open-sided memorial in south chancel wall is Jacobean with crudely carved entablature of different designs to north and south; crested arms mounted on keystone; beneath lies recumbent effigy with hound at feet and effigy of child alongside; said to be memorial to John Trye, died 1591. Memorial on south chapel wall with arms surmounting scrolled pediment and moulded panel below, inscribed in latin to 'Jonannis Trye, obdormuit Ano Dm 1651. Greek revival wall memorial in north chapel to RICHARD MARTIN, died 1818, by T. KING of Bath. Memorial in tower surmounted by cherub's heads to John Stratton, died 1719. (C.R,Elrington, 'Hardwicke' in V.C.H. Glos. x, 1972, pp. 178-188; and D. Verey. Gloucestershire: The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1976.)

Listing NGR: SO7936112432

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

131736

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970)
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Gloucester, (1972), 178-188

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